Wednesday, May 16

On Our Honeymoon, I Ate a Lot of Potatoes

With our 12th wedding anniversary right around the corner, I thought I’d look up 12th year wedding gifts. The traditional gifts are silks and linens. Who came up with those? Does that mean I should expect a linen table cloth? Should Jeff expect silk pajamas? I think not.

In fact, after 12 years together, I want to give Jeff something memorable, something unique. So, I was thinking a potato. Not any potato. (What kind of wife do you think I am?) A jacket potato, as they call it in England, or as we Yanks call it, a stuffed potato. Now, before you consider me the most un-romantic person you’ve ever met, read on.

Our honeymoon had an inauspicious start. Our scheduled non-stop flight from Boston to London was cancelled due to thunderstorms, and consequently our luggage was “misplaced” (the Brits’ genteel word for “lost”). In part due to a choppy ride and part due to just-married-bliss, we did not sleep on the flight over and landed in London late and red-eyed.

When we arrived, we discovered that our inn was just as we anticipated: a Victorian brownstone on a tree lined, thoroughly British street. There was even a consummate Brit, heels clicking on the pavement, with his walking stick swinging in one hand and the Sunday Times in the other.

The woman at the inn greeted us warmly then asked for our name. After Jeff told her, she looked at him, then at me, then back at him and back to me. She said, “Uncanny how much you two look alike. Are you brother and sister?”

Brother and sister?! We weren’t even married for 24 hours and someone thought we were siblings! When she realized her error, she was terribly embarrassed, and tried (unsuccessfully) to backtrack, with things like, “Well, that’s a terrible image to have on your honeymoon.” Sometimes silence is the best antidote.

When Jeff and I were alone later, I asked him if he thought there could be anything worse than on your first day as a married couple being told you look like brother and sister. He said, “Yeah. Being told you look like father and daughter.” True.

Despite an unfavorable start, our honeymoon was grand. London in June is spectacular—the weather is glorious, the arts are thriving, and the food… well let me say this about the food. This was 1995 (pre-Jamie Oliver), and as a finicky vegetarian, whose palate was much less developed than it is now, I ate a lot of scones and jacket potatoes.

Jacket potatoes are traditional British fare: baked potatoes with a “jacket” on top. The jacket can be any number of edible toppings like simple beans and cheese or fancier prawns. While Jeff enjoyed the full range of British fare, I became well-acquainted with jacket potatoes. After two weeks of them, I was put-off potatoes for some time.

We were just reminiscing about this the other day, and as one word led to another, I decided to make a jacket potato (my first one in 12 years). I came up with two versions: olives, sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts, and feta and another with a creamy artichoke, rosemary, and parmesan sauce. They were really quite good, but I don’t recommend eating them 14 days straight.

I used Idaho potatoes (a type of russet potato) because they are high in starch and low in moisture, which is preferable for baked potatoes. For more on potatoes, check out the British Potato Council where you can learn everything there is to know about buying, preparing, and eating 'em.

I am submitting this post to the delightful Jeanne of Cook Sister! who is hosting this month’s WTSIM stuffed fruit or vegetable. Though the Mediterranean jacket potato is my official "stuffed" entry, I'll consider the creamy artichoke potato recipe a bonus.

By the way, the "modern" gift for 12th anniversaries is pearls. I think I'll stick with potatoes since pearls really aren't Jeff's taste.

Preheat the oven to 400. Scrub the potatoes under cold water and pat dry. Using a paring knife, pierce the potatoes all over, about a dozen times. Place on a baking sheet. Bake for 60-90 minutes or until tender. You can test it by inserting a knife. When cooked, make about a 3-4-inch long cut lengthwise along the top of each potato. Squeeze the two ends toward the middle to open up the potato, and be careful of the steam that escapes!

For the “jacket,” in a small bowl, toss together the olives, sun-dried tomatoes, herbs, olive oil, crushed red pepper, and salt. Note: If you’re using dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes, then allow them to rest in warm water for 5 minutes before slicing.

To toast the pinenuts, place in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 1 minute or until golden brown. Shake the pan handle gently to ensure even toasting. Remove from heat.

Once potatoes are cooked, simply top each one with ¼ of the olive mixture. Sprinkle with feta cheese and toasted pine nuts before serving.

Preheat the oven to 400. Scrub the potatoes under cold water and pat dry. Using a paring knife, pierce the potatoes all over, about a dozen times. Place on a baking sheet. Bake for 60-90 minutes or until tender. You can test it by inserting a knife. When cooked, make about a 3-4-inch long cut lengthwise along the top of each potato. Squeeze the two ends toward the middle to open up the potato, and be careful of the steam that escapes!

If you’re using fresh baby artichokes, then drop the cleaned, quartered artichokes in boiling water for 3 minutes and drain. For canned artichokes, do not boil.

In a small skillet over medium heat, melt butter, then add the boiled or canned artichokes, stirring occasionally, about 2-3 minutes. Add milk and flour, and stir until sauce thickens and begins to bubble, 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat; cool partially. Pour sauce into a blender; blend until smooth and creamy. Return to skillet over low heat. Add the grated Parmesan, rosemary, and salt and pepper; heat through another 3-5 minutes.

Once potatoes are cooked, simply top each one with ¼ of the sauce. Sprinkle with additional chopped rosemary and grated cheese if desired.

let him give you pearls in return for a potato! great bargain, i should think?i always thought the "jacket" in jacket potato comes from them having their jackets/skins on? je me coucherai moins bete ce soir ;-)

I'm dying for both of your jackets!!! Oh my, I am a potato freak - I can always eat potato! I think I'd like the Mediterranean one the best but I'd need to try the other to be sure!I'm sure all the lost baggage and brother sister thing was disturbing at the time. Now it sounds like just great fun and romantic!

Well, your hubby is lucky to have you to remember that special day! I'm in love with your jacket potatoes. They look much more tempting & delicious than the usual one laden with cheese!Happy Anniversary!

What a wonderfully romantic story! Once again, remembered little moments trump the acquisition of more "stuff." And the potatoes sound amazing. Lately I've been thinking about cooking with olives, so you can guess which I'll try first.

Oh Susan, how I laughed! Nick and I must have been asked dozens of times whether we are siblings!! It's just hilarious, because sometimes this question comes right after we've been openly smooching. Always makes me think of the scene in Ferris Beueller's Day Off where Ferris picks his girlfriend up while pretending to be her father and kisses her, and the principal says "so *that's* what it's like in her family..." Hilarious. I don't think Nick and I look anything like each other in the flesh, but I guess in photos I can sometimes see a resemblance in the shape of our faces. It's a funny old world.

And oooh, what fab recipes! The artichoke cream sauce had me drooling on my keyboard :) Thanks so much for taking part in WTSIM and a gold star to you for being the first entry!

You should have eaten from the vast array of ethnic restaurants in the UK - Indian, Caribbean, Pakistani and there was always Cranks, the wonderful vegetarian mecca. That's were much of the good, affordable restaurant food is in Britain.

Thanks for the lovely story...I live in London UK and yes the Brits have a thing about potatoes, either its chips, jackets or mashed...~smile~...thanks or sharing great Jacket recipes...really lovely..

Asha-Ooh, I like "aloo" much better. I might start calling them that instead. :)

Johanna- Well, I'm no Brit, so I did a little research first. Acc. to the BBC and various other British sites I found, the jacket is the topping. But maybe other places refer to the jacket as the skin.

Deepa-You are quite welcome!

Tanna-The good thing is with Jeff, he always keeps me laughing.

TW-They are tasty, and I'm not a big consumer of spuds!

Jeff-I hope my mother isn't reading this. ;0

Valentina-I agree. I wanted something lighter, and the parmesan in the artichoke recipe is just enough.

Foodette-Great. Let's not tell him! ;)

Terry- From one olive fan to another, you won't be disappointed.

Elise-Wow! Thanks for the compliment!

Susan- Like I said, sometimes silence is the best antidote. ;)

S'kat-Ooh, wood or silverware. Now, there's an exciting choice!

Pille-Truth be told, I already had the photo taken since I was going to post on it in a couple of weeks. So, I typed up my story last night. But I still want to keep my gold star from Jeanne! ;)

Meeta-It's especially good with fresh artichokes.

Shn-Yeah, she stumbled a bit, for sure.

Sara-If you like artichokes, you won't be disappointed.

Ronnie-Thanks! The flavors are really zesty and dress up the potato nicely.

Bron-I didn't know they were popular in New Zealand too. Thanks!

Jeanne-No kidding, we were just asked last week if we were brother and sister! Of course, after all these years together, I think we are starting to look alike! Ooh, a gold star for me? :)

Amy-That should make things really easy if you get married!

Anh-The artichoke cream sauce was my favorite too.

Lucy-If only I had known that then. Next time though, I'll be prepared. ;)

Susanv-Oh, I hope you do. It was so much fun cooking and reminiscing together. Happy anniversary to you and yours!

You sound like my kinda blogga! Love your recipes (particularly the ricotta pie) and the photos are lovely. Have you tried the yellow mangoes at Costco? They're delicious and only 6 or 8 to a container. I discovered you through your comment on Tanna's blog. I was a food blogger until my stomach made me quit just after Christmas last year, so now I'm a garden blogger, but I still love to eat!

I'd like to echo that London in June IS absolutely spectacular! I used to live there so I could appreciate London's different seasons, and the spring to summer cusp was one of the best. :) And those jacket potatoes sound spectacular themselves!

Susan, jacket potates would remind me America though... Wendy's, hehee. Back... gosh, must be in the 80s... Wendy's was so popular, so was its baked potato, in Hongkong. Even I loved it I still couldn't make myself have it 2 weeks straight :) I visited London once, practically lived with fish-n-chips (so so) and sucking cold air *lol* Your creamy rosemary-artichoke version looks utterly delicious! I think it will be my lunch today :D

Stuffed spuds is one of our favorite meals in the winter time. I will cook some vegetables like broccoli, carrots or roast some peppers, and stuff mine with cottage cheese (similar in context to sour cream but less caloric) and veggies. If I am adventurous, I add some nice crisp bacon. I love how the house smells with potatoes in the oven.

happy anniversary! those pototoes all look scrumptious...i do love potatoes! i have a favorite dish from a restaurant i want to try to re-create, with a baked sweet potato topped with jerk chicken and papaya salsa.

Happy Anniversary! 12 years is quite impressive. I loved reading the story of your honeymoon. I was cracking up at the brother/sister comment. (Well, laughing and cringing along with you...) What's worse than being told you look like brother and sister? Being told you look like father and daughter. But what's even worse than that? Having a husband wearing silk/linen pajamas and a pearl necklace! Glad you stuck to the jacket potatoes- they look marvelous.

I am really enjoying your blog!I am Italian American as well and can see so many similarities in the stories we all share. I can't find an email for you, but I wanted to invite you to join the Foodie Blogroll. http://www.leftoverqueen.com/the-foodie-blogroll

Boy this made me laugh. I lived in England for a year in 1987-88. Let's just say that it was pre-pre-Jamie Oliver. I too was a vegetarian then -- did the jacket potato thing and ate an awful lot of Indian food. But what a great year it was!

hey susan...imagine on my wedding old ladies at the party were saying " they look so young...they getting married early...maybe the boy got the girl pregnant "!!!! can u beat that...hubby n me heard it with our own ears ! 5 yrs now and still no kids....hhaha..i love your story too...something so silly can make an everlasting memory ! love the feta cheese n olive stuffed potato !

Happy anniversary! I want a big bowl of that rosemary-artichoke cream sauce now! My brother is marrying a woman with my name, and I asked him if that was weird for him. He said maybe a little, but what can he do, he's in love!

I thought they were called jacket potatoes as they are served in their jackets, as in, they are in their skins? Oh well, I obviously got that wrong! I'm just off to walk down the street muttering pleasantries with my walking cane in my hand now, toodlepip...;-)